What does the next evolution in storytelling look like?
Blending Eastern and Western techniques to redefine how we tell stories to a global audience.
Storytelling is one of the most important skills to master when it comes to video game development. It goes without saying that narrative design is the lifeblood of genres like RPGs, but I believe that any game can benefit significantly from a compelling story that supplements the gameplay. There have been many books written on this topic (Evan Skolnick’s ‘Video Game Storytelling’ is a fantastic read) -- the goal of this post is not to rehash the different narrative techniques that game designers can employ. Instead, I thought it’d be interesting to explore the fascinating differences between eastern and western storytelling. You often see me write that anime is uniquely “weird” and controversial, especially to western audiences — but how? And why does it work so well in the context of character collector games?
As someone who grew up under heavy influence from both western and eastern cultures, I’ve always had a keen interest in examining these distinctive approaches to narrative design. While there are always exceptions and the two approaches have converged quite a bit over the past decade, I still find it informative to establish a general framework from which I can evaluate and craft my own stories.
Without further ado, let’s dive in.
Stoking the fires of conflict
Perhaps the most fundamental difference between western and eastern stories is how each of them uses and portrays conflict.
As Eastern cultures were historically rooted in traditions like Confucianism and Taoism, there is often an emphasis on harmony and balance. Conflict is viewed as something to be avoided or managed with finesse, and there is an appreciation for non-confrontational approaches that seek to resolve disputes through diplomacy, mediation, and inner reflection. Eastern philosophy often highlights the interconnectedness of all things, emphasizing the need for empathy and understanding.
In contrast, Western philosophical traditions, influenced by thinkers like Plato and Aristotle, often have a more pragmatic and confrontational approach to conflict. The Western perspective acknowledges the inevitability of conflict and sometimes even sees it as a catalyst for growth, change, and progress. Concepts like justice, individual rights, and the rule of law play a prominent role, and conflict can be seen as a means to uphold these principles. The dialectical method, employed by philosophers like Hegel, views conflict as a way to arrive at higher truths through the clash of opposing ideas.
Therefore, it should come as no surprise that western stories (e.g. in literary works and media) predominantly use conflict as the fuel of narrative. Without conflict there is no story, and consequently the characters in the story cease to have meaning. Evan Skolnick (one of the best narrative designers for games) summarizes this approach eloquently in the first chapter of his book:
“Conflict powers your story. Conflict is the burning energy that propels it forward. And if your tale runs out of conflict before it reaches its destination, you’ve got a problem.”
On the other hand, does this mean that Eastern stories typically don’t involve conflict? Of course not — they are rife with conflict, both grandiose and minor. The key difference I’ve observed over the years (a very subtle but important one) is that many Eastern stories do not rely on conflict as the central driving force.
Let’s illustrate this with a few examples. Below is a list of several highly popular anime IPs — with each series I’ve included a brief summary of the plot along with the central recurring theme phrased in the form of a “question” that I ask myself when consuming these stories. Then I do the same for their western counterparts (note: not meant to be 100% apples to apples — I was trying to find widely recognized works with a similar setting and premise).
Zom100: Bucket List of the Dead — an overworked corporate employee at an exploitative production company encounters the zombie apocalypse one day. How does he react?
The Walking Dead: A zombie apocalypse plunges the world into chaos. How do they survive, find a cure, and return the world back to normal?
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End — an elven sorceress adventurer who outlives her mortal companions embarks on a journey of self-discovery. How does she change and grow over the course of the journey?
Lord of the Rings — Dark Lord Sauron seeks world domination using the One Ring. How do they destroy the ring to save the world?
Death Note — a top student gets access to a notebook that can kill anyone whose name is written in it. How does this genius use it and how does it change him?
Death Note (western adaptation by Adam Wingard) — a nerdy misfit and loner had his mom brutally murdered by a criminal. How does he take revenge and turn around his fortunes in school?
Goblin Slayer — tale of an adventurer whose sole purpose in life is to exterminate goblins. What drives and motivates him? How does he react to the events that unfold around him?
Batman — The tragic loss of Bruce Wayne’s parents fuels a one-man crusade against crime in Gotham City. How does he defeat the villains that terrorize his beloved city?
Eminence in Shadow — a high schooler who wants to live out his dream of becoming a “mastermind in the shadows” gets isekai’d into a fantasy universe with magic and demons. How does he adapt?
Snow Crash — a dangerous virtual drug has infiltrated the metaverse and the protagonist sets out to investigate its origins and stop its spread. How does he solve the mystery?
A high level analysis reveals some really intriguing insights:
Notice how all the questions pertaining to the anime series’ relate to the character instead of the conflict. And with all the Western shows, conflict is portrayed in a very direct manner (e.g. zombies vs. humans, hero vs. villain) and the key question boils down to: “How does the conflict get resolved?” I don’t believe it is a mere coincidence.
To summarize: Eastern stories have the conflicts serve the characters, while Western stories have the characters serve the conflicts. Both can yield compelling stories and characters, but they inherently differ in their core narrative structure.
Due to this structural difference, the conflicts in the anime series’ above can actually be removed or replaced with anything and still retain its appeal. Goblin Slayer could very well have 0 goblins in the entire show, and the premise still holds up because the anime is really about the slayer himself. But without crime in Gotham City, there would be no Batman. In a similar vein, Death Note does not necessarily need the conflict with L to work, even though it would certainly change the progression and overall direction of the plot. But without the conflict with L in Adam Wingards’ western adaptation, the show would lack any real substance (because there is very little exploration of Light as a character otherwise).
To put it simply, I like to think of conflicts as optional encounters for the characters to react to in the Eastern approach, while the characters in Western stories practically exist to solve a conflict.
The Magic of Kishotenketsu — how conflict takes a back seat
Many traditional Eastern stories use a narrative structure called the Kishotenketsu instead of the standard 3-act structure or monomyth / hero’s journey that many of you may be familiar with. Kishotenketsu consists of 4 acts:
Ki (Intro): Introduces the setting, characters, and initial context.
Sho (Development): Initial elements introduced in the previous stage are further developed. This section elaborates on the characters' relationships, their place in the world, and escalating plot developments. It adds depth and builds emotional attachment towards the characters.
Ten (Twist): The most crucial act. It introduces an unexpected complication or twist in the story, deviating from the established path or challenging the audience's expectations. This twist may not necessarily involve conflict but serves to intrigue and captivate the audience.
Ketsu (Conclusion): The final part reconciles the world that’s presented in the first and second acts with the events of the third. It provides closure to the overall story (which can often be open-ended).
You may have noticed that conflict is notably absent from this structure. It is not a mistake. As discussed in the earlier section, conflict serves a fundamentally different purpose in many Eastern stories, and does not have to be the central driving force.
Kishotenketsu prioritizes harmony and unexpected connections. It introduces elements, develops them, and then creates a twist or revelation, often resulting in a resolution that may not involve traditional conflict or confrontation. This structure values subtlety, surprise, and the exploration of ideas over direct conflict, contrasting with the conflict-driven narrative structures prevalent in Western storytelling.
If you’ve ever wondered why slice-of-life is such a massive genre in anime (including recent hits like Frieren, Wandering Witch Elaina, To Your Eternity, etc.), the Kishotenketsu structure is undoubtedly a substantial influence. Many of these slice-of-life anime are devoid of a central conflict, which leaves room to explore other elements within the story. Instead of always asking “how does this contribute to resolving the conflict,” the emphasis is often placed more on the characters and their development. How would this character react to X? What if she’s put in Y situation? What makes her tick? What brings her joy? What is her favorite ice cream? What is on her mind right now? Cue the intense Shakespearean-esque internal monologues that anime is well known for.
On a similar note, this is also why the “beach episode” has become a staple in ACG works. Setting aside the fan service, these beach episodes typically don’t depict any major conflicts, and focus purely on showcasing interesting character moments. It’s not a stretch to deduce that this is also why westerners typically despise or eschew “filler episodes” that don’t advance a main conflict, while people in Japan / Asia tend to enjoy and appreciate them more.
In summary, when you craft your story around a central conflict — heroes, villains, events, etc. become vehicles solely for the plot’s progression. By moving away from this structure, the Kishotenktesu enables greater freedom of expression when it comes to character development and world building.
The Eastern Edge in gaming
A quick scan of the top character collector gacha games by revenue reveals that Eastern / ACG styles indisputably dominate the list (making up 90%+). The only western games that have really made it work in gacha either lean on massive IP (Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes, Marvel Contest of Champions) or very significant levels of marketing spend (Raid: Shadow Legends).
It makes perfect sense when you think about it in the context of their approach to narrative design. Eastern stories have always prioritized compelling character development above all else, often delving into character-centric themes such as self improvement and internal conflicts. On the other hand, Western stories (even Greek mythology or superhero stories with strong characters) have historically centered on constructing riveting conflicts (often external) for their characters to resolve. Let’s just say that if Pokemon was made in the West, the story would have been about defeating Team Rocket instead of “catching them all!”
To be clear, this is not to say that one approach is better than the other, or that stories must strictly follow one structure vs. another. However, I do strongly believe that stories built on character-focused structures are going to win out 9/10 times when it comes to long term IP expansion and monetization, especially in the context of character collector gacha games (which just so happens to be one of the most powerful business models in the history of capitalism).
Final takeaways
Incorporating a compelling story in your game can go a long way in elevating the gameplay experience and strengthening its potential as a beloved IP. Being mindful of the key differences between the Eastern and Western structures is critically important in selecting the right approach for your game and ultimately resonating with the audience you want to reach.
One of my big theses going into 2024 is the continued convergence of both approaches — I believe we will start to see more and more stories (either in games or other media) drawing elements from both realms to great effect. While I don’t expect ACG / eastern style’s dominance on the character collector gaming market to change anytime soon, it will be interesting to see if more western developers can take a page from Eastern narrative design and try to make a dent in this highly lucrative market.
Thanks again for reading! I fully realize that I’ve only scratched the surface in this post, and hope to cover narrative design in much greater depth in the future.
Happy New Year to all and hope everyone is staying safe and warm. <3